Spring Training: Part 4, "Spring Training is A-O-K"

One thing I forgot to mention when I was standing over by Autograph Alley, the crowd went wild as a golf cart drove by with one of the Padres riding shotgun.  "Khalil c'mon sign for the kids!  Boo Khalil!  We drove all the way from the East Bay!  Boo!  C'mon Khalil we love you!  Sign for the kids!  Boo!"

The funny part was that it wasn't Khalil in the golf cart it was Robert Fick.  He should have done something really inappropriate like flip off the crowd to stick it to Khalil.

It's also funny how when the ballplayers walk through the alley, they become really interested in their conversation.  So much so that they have to look each other directly in the eye, so as to not make eye contact with the crowd.  As soon as they make it past the last fan, the fake conversation ends instantly.

After a few innings of watching the game I went out to get some food.  They have a real nice selection of crazy fair food.  I saw Randy Jones BBQ though and saw that they served hamburgers and since I had already had a hot dog for breakfast, I thought I'd get one.  

Here's the gross part, I see the guy get a spatula and put a hamburger patty and he puts cheese on top.  Then he dips the entire thing into the deep fryer.  It was real salty and gross tasting.  Blech!  I wonder if Randy Jones knows.

On the way back to my seat I ran into Troy Johnson.  I say "Hi" and he has absolutely no idea who I am and I tell him that I'm with the Gaslamp Ball and that I had met him a couple of times.  I'll tell you something, that Troy Johnson fellow is one friendly guy.  We had ourselves a nice little chit chat about the game and about what he's been up to.  

As some of you know Troy's now hosting Brain Wave on Channel 4.  He also writes for the Riviera as a senior editor.  Most importantly he wrote a book called "Family Outing: What Happened When I Found Out My Mother Was Gay" that's coming out (pun intended) in June.  We heard from one of his friends last year that he was focusing on the book talking about growing up with a lesbian mother.  I seem to remember it had a different title back then, but I really like the new title.  Sounds interesting and he's really excited about it and says it's been getting really good reviews.  We'll have to add that to the Gaslamp Ball Book Club reading list.  He even invited me to a bar with his friends after the game, but unfortunately I was flying out right after the game.  Real nice guy, that Troy Johnson.

I went back to my seat and tried to take photos of Kevin Towers for no particular reason just about until the game ended.

I heard another rumor that some guy had seen Peavy smoking cigarettes outside a popular bar in Peoria. Busted! I was shocked, I mean chewing a huge lump of chewing tobacco is one thing, but cigarettes are dangerous!

I had a real good time at the game in large part to the fact that I was able to hang with Dex's father in law, but now it was time to head back to San Diego.  It sucks the Pads lost but at least Brooks had a great game.

Now it was a 20 minute drive back to Phoenix and an hour plane flight to SD, but that's not where the story ends...